Issue - meetings

Included for the Committee is an Annual Report on the Wiltshire Local Flood Risk Management Strategy.

Wiltshire has experienced severe flooding in recent years, especially in 2014 when over 500 properties were flooded and a number of roads had to be closed to traffic. There were 72% of town and parish councils affected by flooding.

There are 82 communities with flood plans and 177 Flood Wardens across the county as detailed in Appendix 1. Work undertaken to improve drainage and protect communities has been completed in the past year and is included in Appendix 2.

The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 requires Wiltshire Council to act as Lead Local Flood Authority, and to develop a Local Flood Risk Management Strategy (LFRMS). Councillor Jonathon Seed, Cabinet Member for Housing, Leisure, Libraries and Flooding, supported by Councillor Richard Clewer, Chairman of the Salisbury Operational Flood Working Group (OFWG) was in attendance to update the Committee on management of flood risk in Wiltshire.

It was emphasised that two years prior the county, particularly in Salisbury, had been at severe risk of a major event, and preparations had been put in place to improve the situation, although it was noted in some areas it would never be possible to eliminate flood occurrence completely. Details were provided of the parish emergency assistance scheme to provide emergency signage and sandbags for communities, of grants received from the Wessex Coastal Committee and development of flood plans.

The Committee congratulated the councillors and officers for their work and discussed the annual report as detailed in the agenda, with details sought on work with the Environment Agency on modelling flooding in Wiltshire and the type of projects that were viable, with a drainage scheme list for each area to be provided by the end of the financial year

Resolved

To note that:

      i.        The Operational Flood Working Groups have proved to be a successful way of managing flood risk. They are particularly effective at working with local communities, the Environment Agency and other organisations to manage flood risk in Wiltshire.

    ii.        Local communities are encouraged to prepare Flood Plans and appoint Flood Wardens, and there are currently 82 communities with Flood Plans and 177 Flood Wardens.

   iii.        The Council’s Parish Emergency Assistance Scheme (PEAS) continues to provide sand bags and equipment to local town and parish councils so that they can store these locally, and deploy them as necessary. There are 97 communities taking part in the scheme.

   iv.        The Council carries out a large programme of flood alleviation and drainage projects which are managed and co-ordinated through the Operational Flood Working Groups.